Giving away the trophy, Mr Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO, HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings, said: "Mrs Raja Easa Al Gurg is a well-known businesswoman in the region who has played an instrumental role in the growth and expansion of ESAG under the tutelage of her father, the Chairman, H.E. Easa Saleh Al Gurg, KCVO, CBE. However, she is among the few successful women who used her extraordinary position and resources to champion the cause of other entrepreneurs. And we are extremely proud to applaud her for the work she has been doing to support and encourage women less privileged than her."

HMH Award for Excellence celebrates women who are an inspiration for others. It is a tribute to exceptional women who are playing an extraordinary role in the UAE society be it in the field of art, literature, culture, sports, environment, healthcare, business, human welfare or public life.

Receiving the HMH Award for Excellence, Mrs Al Gurg, said, "I am truly grateful to H.E. Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum and HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings for this honour. Over the years, the landscape for female entrepreneurs in this country has flourished and we are seeing many more women in senior management positions across large corporates. Nevertheless, the challenges of starting something new .It a business and making it grow may be daunting for new entrepreneurs. There are women wanting to start a small business - or those already in business wanting to meet like-minded individuals to exchange ideas and network. With a little guidance and support they could establish strong businesses for they have the vision, determination, ambition and drive that are necessary for success.This is the driving force behind my involvement in promoting female entrepreneurship. I want to give back to society and help cultivate the next generation of business owners".

A leading business woman in her own right, Mrs Al Gurg has carved a unique niche for herself in the region due to her support and encouragement of Arab women entrepreneurs. She is the President of Dubai Business Women Council, Deputy Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Dubai Healthcare City Authority, Board member of the Dubai Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Dubai Women's Association. Mrs Al Gurg is the first Emirati woman on the board of HSBC Middle East and North Africa and is also on the advisory board of Coutts Bank, the wealth division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. She is the Head of the Auditing Committee at the Federal Customs Authority and a Board member. She is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University. Mrs. Raja Al Gurg is also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mandate is to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence for medical research and education. She holds memberships at the Dubai Economic Council, Arab International Women's Forum, National Advisory Council and College of Business Sciences.

In addition, Mrs Al Gurg spends considerable time in several philanthropic, social and charitable activities, notably with the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation. She is also the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation whose mandate is to promote the UAE as a centre of excellence for medical research and education.

Over the years, Mrs Al Gurg has been duly recognised for her various achievements and is the recipient of many noteworthy honours including top ranking on the Forbes Middle East list of 'The Most Influential Arab Women in Family Business' in 2013. She was ranked fifth in the list of the '100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2012,' compiled by CEO Middle East; was ranked among the top 100 - 58th place in the list of the world's most influential Arabs in the Arabian Business 2012 Power 500 listing. Forbes International also listed her as the 4th most powerful Arab businesswoman in 2006. She has earned several other plaudits and awards in recent years. These include the Stevie Award for Women in Business in 2011 and the 'World of Difference Award' from the International Alliance for Women (TIAW) in 2009. Mrs Al Gurg was also selected as the figure of the month, 'The Mother of Pearl amongst Businesswomen,' by the Al Waref Institute for Humanitarian Studies in Washington in 2010.

Mrs Al Gurg represents the UAE at many international conferences and round-tables as a key-note speaker and is also part of the Government of Dubai's official delegation for various trade and commerce meetings. She also hosted the first MENA Businesswomen's Network Forum, in her capacity as the President of the Dubai Business Women Council.